EDX education Interlocking Rainbow Pebbles®
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    30 Years of Safe Play: Why Toy Safety Matters More Than Ever

    When parents and caregivers choose a toy for their child, they often see the colors first. The bright shapes, the possibilities for creativity, the excitement in a child’s eyes as they explore something new. But behind every great educational toy is something far more important safety, testing, and trust. At Edx Education, 2026 marks a very special milestone. We are celebrating 30 years of designing educational toys that support children to Play, Learn & Create. For three decades, our focus has been simple to provide families and educators with toys that help children develop essential life skills through play. But equally important is ensuring that every product we create is safe, durable, and rigorously tested. Because when children play, parents deserve peace of mind.

    📌 Quick Guide

    In this article, you’ll find key sections and practical takeaways:

    The Hidden Work Behind Every Toy

    Children experience toys through curiosity and imagination. They build towers, sort shapes, invent stories, and explore new ideas. Yet behind these joyful moments is a great deal of unseen work. Toy safety is a highly regulated industry. Every educational toy must meet strict international standards before it reaches homes, nurseries, and classrooms. This is why Edx Education works in partnership with Intertek, a global leader in product testing and certification. Together, we ensure that every Edx toy meets some of the world’s most demanding toy safety standards, including:
    • EN71 safety standards across the European Union
    • ASTM safety regulations in the United States
    • AS/NZS ISO standards in Australia and New Zealand
    • And other rigorous global toy safety requirements
    These standards exist for a reason they protect children. They ensure toys are free from harmful chemicals, designed with safe materials, and built to withstand the real world conditions of play. In other words, while children see fun, Intertek helps ensure the science behind the toy is just as strong as the learning behind it.

    Tested for Real Play

    Children do not play gently and they shouldn’t have to. Real play involves dropping, stacking, rolling, pulling, building, and sometimes even throwing! This is why Edx toys are tested for real-life use. Through Intertek’s laboratories, our toys undergo a wide range of tests including:
    • Mechanical and physical durability testing
    • Drop and tension testing
    • Small parts safety testing
    • Chemical analysis to confirm materials are non-toxic
    These processes ensure that products such as our well-loved Rainbow Pebbles®, linking cubes, and early maths resources remain safe even when used repeatedly in busy classrooms and family homes. Quality is never an afterthought. It is engineered into the toy from the very beginning. 

    A Global Community Built on Trust

    Over the past 30 years, Edx Education toys have travelled far beyond where we first began. Today our educational toys & products are used by educators and families in over 100 countries worldwide. From London to Sydney, Taipei to New York, teachers and caregivers share the same goal helping children grow into confident learners. Our partnership with Intertek helps make this possible. Their testing and certification provide what we often call a “global passport”, ensuring our toys meet safety expectations wherever children play. For parents and caregivers, that means reassurance that the toy in your child’s hands has been tested to internationally recognized standards.
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    Looking Ahead: The Next 30 Years of Safe Play

    As we celebrate three decades of educational play, we are also looking ahead. Children today are growing up in a world filled with technology and screens, yet research continues to show that hands-on play remains essential for healthy development. Through open-ended play, children build resilience, creativity, problem-solving skills, and confidence. At Edx Education, we are committed to continuing this mission for the next generation. This includes:
    • Designing inclusive toys that support children of all abilities
    • Exploring more sustainable materials and responsible manufacturing
    • Continuing rigorous safety and quality testing with trusted partners like Intertek
    Because behind every moment of joyful play should be something parents rarely have to think about certainty that the toy is safe.

    Supporting Play at Home

    As parents and caregivers, you can support safe and meaningful play by choosing toys that encourage exploration and creativity. Look for toys that are:
    • Open-ended and versatile
    • Age appropriate
    • Made from safe, tested materials
    • Built to last through years of learning and play
    At Edx Education, we are proud that our community of families and educators has trusted us for 30 years of safe play. And we remain committed to supporting children everywhere to Play, Learn & Create - safely. To discover more ideas for playful learning, explore our educational toys and downloadable activities, and tune in to our podcast Play, Learn & Create with Edx Education, where we share practical ways to support children’s development through play.
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